I Want Tomorrow
by Lyrical.Laughter
Summary: Ricky and Casey, takes place the night before her last day on Earth, *FINISHED*
1. one

I could be persuaded to countinue this story if I get feedback :)   
Casey sat down on the bench. She was so stupid, so absolutely stupid! How could she be so completely stupid? She should know by now, know that love was just a path to pain. The last time she had thought she was in love it had killed her, literally. She gently pressed her fingers to her lips, she could still feel his lips pressed against hers-she angrily wiped her hand over her mouth trying to erase the taste, the feel of him. Her hand randomly rose to her eyes. She refused to believe that she was crying over a boy, she didn't cry, ever. She didn't love him either, she stated passionately to herself. After all love was just giving your heart to someone so they could stomp on it and she wasn't that gullible, not anymore.   
But then what was this horrible feeling in her chest? It wasn't physical pain, it went so much deeper than that. She absently lowered her hand to her heart, as if to make sure that it was still there, still beating. Suddenly she felt like she was dying all over again. Her breath came in short gasps and tears poured from her eyes, she realized then that she wasn't dying, she was heartbroken.  
In one day she would never feel snow, never feel grass below her feet, never see Ricky, never kiss him again. She would never feel anything again, she'd be dead.  
She curled up on the cold bench but surprisingly she savored the coldness, at least she was feeling something, anything but the pain. 

Casey was awake, she was warm and she wondered what happened to the snow, it had felt so good, she had felt it, it was better than feeling other things, things that hurt to much to even think about, let alone feel. She snuggled deeper under the blankets and realized that there were no benches with blankets in the middle of the park.   
She sat up and looked at the unfamiliar surroundings, she didn't know where she was, it was an apartment from what she could tell but she wasn't paying much attention, she saw that she was fully clothed and she decided to leave while she was head. She had just opened the door when she was confronted by her rescuer and then she started to feel, confusion, anger and a whole multitude of other things she didn't want to name. She was looking into Ricky's face.   
Casey was determined not to endure anymore humiliation, again, because of him. She was leaving no matter what it took. "Hey, Ricky, nice to see you, look I hope you don't mind but I gotta jet-," said Casey going for the door again but he blocked her way.  
She glared at him. "Look man, let me go, I got places to go, people to see, you know how it is," she said with a smile, although she avoided looking at him.  
"You aren't going anywhere," he said shutting and locking the door and then setting a bag on the coffee on the counter.  
"Where-where are we?"  
"My place, GG let me have it. Wanna tell me what you were doing?"  
"I was leaving!"  
"I meant sleeping on a park bench in the middle of winter."  
"I-I wasn't sleeping, I just nodded off is all and why would you care? Huh? I'm so pathetic you probably think I should be sleeping in some dumpster or something, I'm a nobody remember?" she said sitting back on the bed.  
"I didn't mean it like that, you could have froze to death." He said sitting down in a easy chair.  
"Big possibility of that happening," she mumbled. "Like you'd even give a damn anyway." She said finally looking up at him, she saw that he had bandaged his cheek and when he noticed her looking his hand protectively covered it.  
Casey was determined not to look at him, not let his eyes pull her into them, not desperately want to kiss him, to repeat her words of love until he was forced to believe them, but she wouldn't, simple pride and dignity stopped her.  
"You know what, Ricky? You were right. I do pity you, that's the only reason I said what I said, you were standing there like a lost little puppy ,I mean, what was I supposed to do? Kick you when you're down? It was a momentary lapse on my part, I just didn't have the guts to tell you how messed up your face looked, how disgusting it was," voiced Casey, wanting nothing more than to hurt him as much as he had hurt her, but she immediately regretted her harsh, no cruel words and at that moment she would have gladly gone back to heaven in a second if she could erase them from his mind.  
"Ricky, I'm sorry, look, I didn't mean that, I swear," she said, an almost pleading note in her voice, but she knew her words had cut to deep, hurt him to much to be taken away by more words.  
"Get out," he said softly.  
"Ricky-,"  
"I said 'get out'," he said looking at her with those eyes, those soulful brown eyes.  
She couldn't leave, she couldn't go back up there knowing she had left things like this, it would eat at her, more than feeling cheated out of life, if she left now she could never have peace.  
She stood up but then she knelt down in front of him, what did she have left to lose? In one day it wouldn't matter what she did, what people thought about her. She had nothing more to lose, she had already lost her life, what was more precious than that? She took his hand but he pulled away as if her skin burned him. He then looked down, and she realized that what she said he would never forget but he had hurt her too. She tried to justify that he deserved it but she just couldn't convince herself.  
"Ricky, I'm sorry," she said hoping that the tears that were gathering behind her eyes would stay where they were. "Look at me, please," she urged, tilting his face so it was level with hers. She gently started to peel back the bandage that covered the right side of his face. And to her surprise he let her.  
It was red and swollen but it had been cleaned some more and it didn't look as bad as it had.   
"This isn't what defines you," she whispered. Her thumb brushed his other cheek, and he didn't pull away or tell her to leave, he didn't do anything except look at her. "I love you," she whispered hoping that he could see the truth, that he could feel it. "I loved you before you got cut and I love you now, I wanted you to be the first man I ever made love to, and I still want you to be my first. Why can't you see how much I love you?" she asked absently wiping at a tear on her check. She waited for him to say something, anything.  
"Are you still leaving?" he finally asked.  
Casey sighed, this was what it boiled down to. In that split second she had one choice, tell him the truth or lie. She didn't want to die, she wanted tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, she wanted time, with him, and if she had to lie to get even a few more moments with him that it was worth it.  
"Well, I guess I could hang around for awhile longer," she said with a smile.  
He kissed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck almost pulling him down on the floor with her, he pulled her up on the chair with him and Casey was lost in the moment, lost in him, in the way he looked at her, in the way he kissed her and touched her. She knew the times was right, the person was right, she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything in her life.  
He picked her up, his lips never leaving hers and gently layed her amidst the warm blankets on the bed. She never dreamed that he could be so gentle, so loving as he made love to her for the first time. 


	2. two

Casey woke up and for a moment she feared that he had left, that he had walked away while she was sleeping but the warm body beside her and the arms wrapped around her proved her wrong. She smiled, this was all she had ever wanted, to be held by someone in this way, to be loved like this. But it wasn't going to last, soon she would leave him and he wouldn't understand, he'd hate her for lying.  
"Are you awake?" he whispered into her hair.  
"Yeah," she replied turning around to face him.  
"Do you want me to fix you something to eat?"  
"You can cook?" she asked skeptically.  
"I am a man of many, many talents," he said smiling.  
"You got that right," she said kissing him.   
"You're so beautiful," he said running his fingers through her long hair.  
"So are you, you know," she said gently touching his cheek. "You can see that plastic surgeon, we can make an appointment for later today..."  
"Casey, I don't want to talk about that," Ricky said shifting uncomfortably.  
"Okay, then we can talk about how amazing last night was," she said laying soft kisses on his chest.  
"I'm all for that," he said kissing her as they both disappeared under the covers. 

Casey listened to Ricky's heart beat as his hand played with her hair. She would give anything in the world to stay like that as long as possible, to spend as many moments as she could just being with him, and then she looked at the clock on the wall and then it occurred to her that she only had an amount of hours, a very small amount of hours, almost half the day was gone. It was 12 in the afternoon. 

Ricky felt Casey tense. "Are you okay?"  
"Yes...no...I don't know." She said snuggling closer to him, trying to make herself believe that if she loved him enough time would stop and they could be together, but she knew deep down no amount of love could keep her on earth.  
"I love you," Ricky blurted out.  
"What?" Casey exclaimed sitting up in surprise.  
"I love you," he said cradling her cheek. "I-I've never...I've never felt this way about anyone...ever," he said softly. "But you, you crashed into my world and turned it upside down and I've never been happier, I've never wanted to be with someone so completely, heart, soul and body,"  
Tears welled up in Casey's eyes but she wasn't ashamed of them. "I wish I could stay with you forever," she managed to whisper.  
"You can, I want you to move in here with me, today."  
"Ricky, I can't."  
"If this is about Frank, I'll talk to him, I'll convince him to let you stay with me, if that doesn't work I'll have GG call him."  
"You don't understand, I still-I'm still leaving," she whispered and Ricky felt like his heart had just been broken apart and put together inside out.  
"What do you mean you're still leaving? You said that you wouldn't."  
"I know, but I gotta, I can't stop it, I have to leave."  
"Then, I'll go with you, there's nothing for me here-,"  
"You can't come with me, not where I'm going."  
"Sure I can, I don't have a lot of money right now, but it's enough, I don't want to be away from you Casey."  
"I knew this was going to happen," she said standing up with a sheet wrapped around her. "I knew I shouldn't get close to you but I couldn't help it, I have to go back."  
"Go back where? College?"  
"No, heaven." She said quietly.  
"What? What do you mean you have to go back to heaven?"  
"I'm an angel. I died a year ago, I was...I was trying to impress some people and I wanted this guy to like me so I took some drugs, it was my first time and I died, I was given 13 weeks to come back to Earth and experience life one more time and today, at midnight my time, it's up." "Casey, how can you do this?"  
"Do what?"  
"Lie to me! I-I can't believe this," he said gathering up his clothes. "After last night, after everything, you're leaving and you lie about it!" he said hastily putting his pants on. "Ricky, I'm not lying I swear, I love you!"  
"So much for love," he said walking out the door.  
"Wait!" said Casey quickly dressing, but by the time she made it out the door Ricky had disappeared.  
Casey collapsed in the hallway, her last day on Earth was going to be spent alone, and heart broken. 


	3. three

Casey sat in the park. It was the most beautiful day she had seen yet. The sun was shining and the snow had already melted and she could hear birds singing, it was a perfect day, a perfect day to die. She decided that if she had to pick a day to leave earth forever then it would be one like this. She was going to die.  
As that word echoed through her head she realized that four others would be going up to heaven, one of them for the first time. It could be Ricky, what would she do if his life was cut short, as much as she loved him she didn't want his life to be end so soon. Sure, she wanted to spend eternity with him but not now, not when he still had his life before him. Deep down inside she felt that Ricky wouldn't be the fifth chair, she didn't know why but she knew it wouldn't be him.  
If only he had stayed long enough for her to convince him that she really was an angel, she could have showed him the watch, explained about the fifth chair and what heaven was like and maybe then he would have believed her. But now she had run out of chances. She looked at the cap over her watch that told the real time, 5:31pm. Had she really been sitting here that long? Watching the people walk by, breathing in the fresh air, in almost six hours she would never feel any of this, see any of this. The spring flowers blooming, the birds of so many vibrant colors, the soft cool wind that brought with it so many wonderful scents, it would all be gone soon. Very soon. 

Night had fallen hours ago and Casey sat back down on her bench, she had looked for Ricky, desperately hoping for one last chance to love him, but he was no where to be found, she had left a note at the Scanlon's, thanking Frank for looking out for her and telling him goodbye. Afterward she had had a 'last meal' as they called it, a big greasy cheeseburger, salty fries and a chocolate milkshake. When she was done she had been tempted to look for Rafe, or even Paige, or Amy so she wouldn't be alone when the time came, but she knew that they would be spending time with the ones that they loved. So she had walked back to the park and sat down on the bench waiting.   
Casey tried to hold back tears as she looked at her watch, it was now 11:58pm she had three minutes, at 12:01 she would be gone forever. She could hear her heart beating in her ears and she anticipated the bright light but then she saw him and for a moment Casey thought she was imagining it, but it was him, it was Ricky.  
"Ricky!" she said calling out and running over to him.  
"What?!" he asked turning around and with blood pounding in her ears and tears threatening to fall Casey realized that he hadn't come looking for her, that he still didn't believe her.  
She glanced down at her watch. "I have one minute left," she said her voice shaky, her breath constricting in her chest.  
"Ricky, please, I'll never see you again, please just tell me you love me," she pleaded clasping his face in her hands.  
"No," he said and he pulled her hands away.  
"Ricky-," she whispered and then she felt it, knew it was happening, but praying to God that it wasn't. There was a sound like thunder and her eyes were blinded and she shut them as tears ran down her cheeks. Ricky had been holding her wrists away from him but the feel of his hands faded, yet somehow lingered, and then she was gone.  
Ricky grasped thin air, he kept blinking, she had to be wrong, she wasn't angel, yet she had disappeared into thin air. He put his hands to his cheeks where Casey's hands had been, and his cheek was healed.  
"Casey, come back," he pleaded into the still night. 


	4. four

Casey sat down in the chair, her chair. Minutes ago she had helped Eve Lambert Thornhart cross over to the other side, but now she was sitting across from Ed, at the empty table where no one lingered.   
"Please let me go back, please!" she begged, pain apparent in her voice.   
"I'm sorry, kid. I can't, it's out of my control now," said Ed his hands clasped in front of him. "But, Rafe, he went back last August, you let him, please let me,"   
"Rafe went back under special circumstances, he was saving the lives of the people of Port Charles."   
"Let me save MY life, I want to live again."   
"I'm sorry, Kitten. It just can't be done. I am sorry, Casey."   
"I'll give up anything, I'll give up my wings...I...I'll even give up my place in heaven," she whispered.   
"Casey, we just can't make it happen. Don't worry, time flies up here, you'll see Ricky one day, I promise," and then he disappeared.   
Casey sighed, it wasn't like Ricky even cared about her anyway, his very last words to her had been a refusal to say he loved her. He had refused to utter the three words that would have meant everything to her. Her heart had been broken, just as she knew it was going to be, and she shouldn't care if she ever saw him again, there was only one problem, she DID care. 

Ricky gulped down the shot of tequila and ordered another one. The more the merrier, her reasoned. It had been six days since Casey had left and he found that he spent 80% of his time at some bar or another, trying to forget her. But every time he thought he had drunk enough she was still on his mind. And when he passed out and shouldn't have dreamt he woke up remembering a picnic or a night in bed that had only happened in his mind. No matter what happened he couldn't forget her or how she'd whispered his name as she disappeared. The stricken look on her face, the heart break, the disappointment, the pain. He could never forget her face, ever.   
"Hey, what's your name?" asked a girl sitting down beside him. She was blonde, and pretty, but not as beautiful as Casey, never could anyone be as beautiful.   
"Ricky," he said finishing off yet another shot.   
"How about I buy you a drink?"   
"Sure," he said half-heartedly.   
"Two beers please," she said to the bartender who filled her order.   
Ricky gulped down the beer, nothing was strong enough to get her out of his head. "I'm Chelsea, and you're cute."   
"Thanks," he said smiling. Before he would have come up with some charming, witty remark to flatter her but he couldn't bring himself to do anything but sigh.   
"You look like you could use some company, how about we go back to my place....well I'm sure you can fill in the rest," she said smiling, her hand brushing his arm.   
Ricky looked at her, nothing else made him forget, maybe this would, if he could only get her face out of his head for a moment.   
"Okay," he said grabbing his coat.   
They got back to her apartment and he waited while she poured him a drink. She came back into the room wearing nothing but a T-shirt that went to mid-thigh.   
"Here you go," she said sitting down beside him.   
He drank as her finger trailed over his thigh. When he was done she kissed him. Ricky tried to get into it, touching her skin, playing with her hair but it was Casey he felt, Casey he kissed and it felt like his soul was on fire. Before he knew what he was doing he pushed Sheila, or whatever her name was, off of him and he ran out of her apartment. When he got outside he bent over breathing heavily aching for someone he would never see again, never touch, never feel. He collapsed on the pavement and for once in his life he cried. He didn't know how but he made it into his apartment and fell into a much needed sleep. 

"I wish I could stay with you forever. I love you." She said touching his face and kissing him softly on the lips.   
"Casey, stay, don't go back, stay with me," he begged grabbing her hands as if he'd never let go.   
"You know I can't but I'll be with you...forever," she said laying her hand on his heart.   
"Forever," she whispered walking away, each step taking her farther into eternity and away from him.   
He reached out a hand to grab her, pull her back to him. "Casey!" he yelled at her retreating figure.   
"CASEY!" yelled Ricky sitting up in bed in a cold sweat, his hand outstretched as if to draw her to him.   
Ricky calmed his breathing when he realized that it was a dream, that Casey hadn't come back to him, it wasn't real, nothing more figment of his imagination. He put his head in his hands wishing she were real, and with him. 


	5. five

Casey knocked on the door and waited until it opened to let her in.   
"You wanted to see me?" Casey asked walking into the office and sitting down across from Ed.   
"It's about Ricky."  
Casey bit the inside of her lip, she didn't want to have this conversation, she never wanted to see or think about Ricky ever again.  
"He's not doing so good."  
Casey shifted in her chair, "And I would care because?"  
"Casey, don't play that game, I know that you care about the kid, that you love him."  
"I do not!" argued Casey weakly. "It was just a one night stand thing, I got a little attached but I'm over it now."  
"Well, I think you need to see this then," he said waving his hand and a kind of television appeared. She saw Ricky at numerous bars, passing out as soon as he stumbled into his apartment at night. She felt how lonely he was, how sad, but most of all she felt his anguish and it equaled her own. She saw him with a woman, touching her, kissing her, but she didn't feel her own pain, she felt his, and for a moment she thought that it might consume her soul. Her own anguish was magnified with his and she closed her eyes to stop it. When she opened it she was on the floor, tears running down her face.  
"Why are you making me see this, what did I do to deserve this? You know I love him, you know I want to see him but you won't let me, why are you hurting us like this?"  
"That's precisely what I've been asking myself. Of course when people come here they're devastated and so are the loved ones they've left behind. But the dead find peace here and when they don't we send them back to finish their life's journey and most come back content. Look at Amy, she found out what it felt like to love and she found peace with her father's death and the part Ian played in it. Paige found Kevin again and resolved her feelings for him. But you and Rafe, no, you two have been the plague of me since you got back so I've decided to send both of you back, for one day, you can say your good-byes, and maybe find peace in your destiny. Goodbye Casey."  
Casey sat up with a start. She was here, she was back on Earth. 

She ran the whole way to Ricky's apartment building and had to stop and catch her breath before she ran up the stairs. She burst into his apartment and found him sleeping on the couch.  
"Ricky! Ricky, I'm back!" she said running over to him. "Ricky?" she asked shaking his shoulder. "Ricky, wake up." He didn't move.  
He was hardly breathing and his skin was pale and sweaty. She ran to the phone and called 9-1-1. 

"Casey, do you know what happened?" asked Frank as he rushed in with a gurney.  
"No, I walked in and he wouldn't wake up and he wasn't hardly breathing, you gotta help him!" said Casey grabbing the key around her neck and praying to God that he would be okay.  
"Stand back and we will." Said Frank as he and his partner knelt over Ricky.  
"Okay, it looks like alcohol poisoning, pulse and respiration are thready, we better get him to the hospital," said Frank as they lifted him onto the gurney. "Casey, do you have any idea how long he's been like this?"  
"No, can I come with you in the ambulance-,"  
"Only family-,"  
"Frank! I don't have anyway to get to the hospital, I'll stay out of your way, I promise." "Okay, hurry up."  
"Ricky, it's okay, I'm back," she said holding his hand as they rode to the hospital. "You have to be okay," she whispered more to herself than to him. 


	6. six

When they got to the hospital Frank refused to let her stay with Ricky and she found herself sitting in the waiting room.  
It was almost funny how much she had changed from the first time she had been in this hospital. She had been determined to party, to have more fun than she had ever dreamed possible, to live life on the fast track, but now it was so different, all she wanted was to be happy with Ricky. He just had to be okay.  
"Casey," said Karen, Frank's girlfriend walking into the room, "he's going to be okay. He suffered from alcohol poisoning so we had to hook him up to an IV and get some fluids in him. We ran tests to see if there was any damage to the liver and it doesn't look like there was. He's breathing normally but we've decided to keep him over night just in case. He's sleeping but you can go and sit with him if you like."  
"Thanks," said Casey following Karen to one of the curtained areas.  
Karen left and Casey was alone with him. She touched his hand, just to make sure he was real, before she had been to worried to realize that she was really here, with him, and it wasn't a dream. He was real and so was she.  
She touched his face trying to commit every curve and angle to memory. Her hand ran to his unblemished check, she had healed him, she remembered those last desperate moments, wanting only to touch him one last time, to hear that he loved her, but that had been denied to her.  
"Am I in heaven?"   
Casey gave a start and looked down at Ricky who had his eyes opened. 

Ricky looked up to see that beautiful face and behind her was the brightest light he'd ever seen.  
"You're not dead," she whispered lightly touching his cheek.  
Ricky sat up abruptly praying that this wasn't another dream that taunted him. The real pain that shot through his head confirmed that he was not dreaming.  
"You're real, it's really you?" he asked hesitantly cupping her face between his hands despite the pain that shot through his head. Her skin was soft and warm...and real.  
"It's really me," she said gazing down at him. "I missed you so much," she said looking into those warm brown eyes that looked inside of her heart and soul.  
"You left, you disappeared. I thought you were gone...forever."  
Casey bit her lip, one day was not enough, not nearly enough time. "I'm back, only for 24 hours. I missed you, Ricky," she whispered laying her head on his chest, hearing his heart beat, feeling as his chest rose and fell with every breath and hers seemed to be in harmony with it. 

Ricky put his arm around Casey and stroked her soft hair, he couldn't believe that she had come back and a part of him refused to believe it, but here she was, in his arms. He memorized the softness of her hair, the smell of her, he tried to place the scent, jasmines, she smelled like jasmines. He looked around and realized where he really was.   
"What am I doing in the hospital?"   
"You drank to much, I never want this to happen again, I love you too much, promise me that when I leave you won't let this happen again."  
"Casey-,"  
"Promise."  
"Okay, I promise."  
They looked at each other both knowing that the time they had now was not nearly enough. "Let's go," he said standing up and walking to the door.  
"But Karen wants to keep you here overnight."  
"I don't care what Karen wants, I'm not going to stay here when I want to be with you, if we have a day to spend together I'm not going to waste it here." 

"I want you to drink lots of fluids and that doesn't mean alcohol, okay? And come back if you have any problems," said Karen as she handed him his discharge papers.   
"I will, I promise." Said Ricky as he held Casey's hand.  
"So where should we go first?" asked Ricky as they stepped into the elevator.  
"Anywhere, as long as I'm with you," she said smiling up at him. 


	7. seven

They ended up in the park. Casey sat down on the oh-so-familiar bench and breathed in deep. It was a beautiful day and she was with Ricky, everything was perfect except for the fact that in a day it would all be gone and it wouldn't exist anymore, at least she wouldn't exist. Casey sighed and snuggled into the crook of Ricky's arm, she could stay here for eternity, this was heaven.   
"Let's get married."   
Casey's head snapped up. "W-what did you say?" she asked positive that she'd misheard him. "I want to marry you, today."   
Her heart sped up and she couldn't believe what was happening. He wanted to marry her. She watched in even greater disbelief as he got down on one knee.   
"Casey, there was something between us when we first met, granted I didn't like you much then, but these last few months have been interesting...they've been the best in my life. I love you more than I ever thought I could love one person and we have one last day together and I want to make it last forever. So...will you marry me, Casey?"   
Casey tried to stop the tears gathering in her eyes, she was becoming way to sentimental, but she couldn't help it, she was being asked to get married. Once she would have had doubts, not believing anyone could want to share their life with her, but he did, he loved her that much. She looked into his eyes and knew it was right, she knew it was her destiny.   
"Yes, I will marry you, Ricky!" she said excitedly kissing him on the lips.   
"Okay, okay, we need to buy you a dress, I'll find a church and get us a marriage license-,"   
"Ricky-I'm-I'm legally dead, we-we can't get married."   
"Yes we can. Casey I want to marry you and nothing is going to stop me. I don't care if it's legal the point is that we're joined forever under God, that's what a marriage is about, love and commitment, not a piece of paper. The priest at my church will marry us, I've known him since I was a kid, but you need a dress and we have to invite some people," he said and she could tell how excited he was.   
"I can't believe that we're getting married!" she said wrapping her arms around him. 

Casey nervously paced around the room. In one hour she would be MARRIED! Ricky had called his priest and he had agreed to do it. Casey had a simple white dress to wear that had been bought with the mysterious wad of cash she'd found in her pocket, it was like this was meant to happen.   
They had three guests, Jamal, Karen and Frank, Ricky's family was visiting Gabby so they couldn't come. Casey thought it was ironic that the person she tried to kill would come to her wedding but Ricky and Jamal had formed a reluctant bond over Gabby and Frank had been nice to her, even though she hated working at the Recovery room, but it had kept her in Port Charles, so in a sense it had given her a chance to be with Ricky. Casey knew it was going to be hard to explain to everyone why she wouldn't be around anymore but she and Ricky had talked, deciding to tell everyone that Casey had had to go visit her aunt in California and while she was there she'd been in a car accident and killed. She wanted to tell the truth but she doubted anyone would believe her, she just wondered how Ricky was going to feel after all of this was over.   
Ricky came out of the bathroom. "We're really getting married," he was kissing her.   
"I know after...after I died I never thought this would happen."   
"Well, I'm going to go get ready at Jamal's and then I'll see you at the church.   
There was a knock at the door and Casey answered it to see Karen, who had offered to help her get ready.   
"I'll see you in a hour," said Ricky kissing her again and leaving.   
"Thanks for...you know...coming here and helping me out and all. I'm not to good with this make-up and hair stuff."   
"I'm happy to do it, it's not everyday I get invited to a wedding. Okay, let's start with your makeup," she said taking some out of her bag. 

Forty minutes later Casey looked in the mirror, she was-beautiful. Karen had just presented her with her old, new, borrowed and blue items. She had given her a pearl necklace that was both borrowed and old, there were small blue flowers in her bouquet or white roses and for something new, well she had a new dress and she was about to have a new husband. She and Ricky had discussed rings and Casey had adamantly decided against it, after tonight she wouldn't need one and she didn't want him to have a constant reminder that she was gone, it was hard enough already. After awhile she wanted him to go and find someone knew, someone he could spend his WHOLE life with. She just wished it was her. 


	8. eight

Ricky paced back and forth as he waited for Casey to arrive. It had been short notice but everything in the church was perfect. They didn't have any flowers to decorate the church, but they had beautiful white candles. He could just imagine how beautiful Casey would look in the candle light...if only she would hurry up and get there.  
"She'll be here soon, man," said Jamal clapping him on the back. It was weird how things had changed between he and Jamal, at first they hadn't even been able to stay in the same room together but now they had forged a common bond through Gabby, and Jamal was going to be Ricky's Best man. Emelio and the rest of his family was visiting Gabby in the mountains because she was pregnant, Ricky couldn't believe that it had happened so fast, Joe certainly didn't waste any time. Joe was a very lucky man. He wished that he and Casey could have that, years together, no time limits, no worrying about tomorrow. "They're here," said Jamal interrupting Ricky's thoughts. 

Casey stepped out of the car and looked at the church, it was small but beautiful and she could feel something...magical about it. Ricky loved her and there was nothing greater than that. In her final days on earth she had learned that love was the greatest gift and the only thing that really mattered. She knew marrying Ricky was right but there was something missing...her family. She'd never known them while she was alive and after she had died she'd discovered the truth, about her mother, how she'd given her up, her twin sister, Marissa. When she first found out about them in Heaven it had infuriated her, she had a perfect sister, would have had a perfect family, she wouldn't have died if she had been with them. A part of her had hated her sister for taking her place, but it was different now. She wanted her family, she wanted them to meet Ricky, she wanted them to love her...but it was to late. So she had written them a letter, it had taken her fifteen minutes, not nearly long enough to write everything that was in her heart. Ricky could give it to them after she had left. Marissa was such a pretty name, she had always believed that Casey had died at birth and Marissa had so much guilt that she had lived with her whole life. Casey had to let Marissa know the truth, that nothing was her fault. She had to let her mother know that she had found happiness and that she didn't blame her. She wanted to tell her father that he had tried his best to find her and even though he hadn't it was okay.  
But today she was getting married and she was going to die....and she wasn't scared.  
"Casey--," Karen said, "Ricky's waiting."  
Casey smiled. "I'm ready.  
She looked around as the music began to play. White candles were lit and it set off a glow over everything, Ricky looked so handsome, he was looking at her as she took her first step down the aisle, if only she could see that look in his eyes forever.  
The music played softly in the background, it was only a tape, not a real violinist, but the wedding march sounded so beautiful and so real, she found it hard to believe that he could do all of this for her, that he could love her that much. She was almost at the altar, how beautiful his smile was. Ricky watched as Casey came towards him, he remembered how much she had gotten under his skin those first few weeks after they'd met. She'd been so annoying...and fiesty...and amazingly sexy. She looked breath-taking as she looked at him with more feeling than he ever thought could come from another human being. She was wearing a simple white dress, and her long beautiful hair was in curls down her back, she had small white flowers pinned through out her hair and she seemed to glow like and angel...she was an angel. Finally she was standing beside him and he took her hand, he was ready to say his vows, he loved her.  
"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today in the sight of God to celebrate and witness the love of Ricky and Casey. Through trials and separations, and through God's glory you have your way to one another. Love is not always an easy thing to find and even harder to hold on to. I can see that you two love each other very much," Father Antonio smiled at them. "I understand that you would like to recite your own vows."  
Ricky looked at Casey and smiled. "When I first met you I felt like I couldn't trust anyone. It seemed like everything was against me and the last thing I expected was to fall in love, but there you were, showing up when I least wanted you to. I thank God for bringing you into my life because I can't imagine not loving you and I don't know where I would be if I had never met you, if I'd never felt what I feel every time I look at you, I love you more than anything and I promise that no matter what happens I'll always love you and I won't forget one moment of loving you."   
Casey took a deep breath."I used to be mad at the world and everyone in it, but you opened me up to something I had never felt before, you loved me when I thought no one could. I wish that I could stand here forever just looking into your eyes and telling you how much I love you, but I can't. I know that this day will end, but it will stay with me forever, you will stay with me forever, no matter where I am I could never forget how much I love you and how much I've dreamed of this moment. There are no guarantees about life, except that eventually it ends, but love never ends, it lives on even when we aren't on this earth any more.I hope you remember that even when I'm not with you that we had this amazing moment that neither of us could ever forget and it will link us together for eternity."  
"By the power invested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the Bride." 


	9. the end

As Ricky's lips met hers Casey knew that even though their marriage wasn't legal on a piece of paper God had sanctioned it and that was all that mattered. She slowly pulled away and embraced the clapping of their small party of guests.   
"Free drinks at the Recovery Room," said Frank standing up.  
Casey and Ricky walked hand in hand down the aisle.  
"We'd like to thank everyone for coming but my wife and I are going to go spend some time alone."  
Casey held tightly to Ricky's hand as they left the church, it was a few hours before sunset and the early evening sky looked beautiful, she had this last wonderful, amazing day to spend with the person she loved more than life itself.  
"So where are we going now?" asked Casey as they got into his car.  
"Where ever you want."  
"Back to your place, I want to spend every second with you, just the two of us."  
"Do you know what time you're going back?"  
"Midnight."  
He reached over and squeezed her hand, "Then let's make the most of it." 

They got to Ricky's apartment and he stuck the key in the lock but the door wouldn't open.  
"I can't believe this!" said Ricky as he pulled on the door knob, it wouldn't budge.  
"Did you get the lock changed?"  
"No, I didn't," he tried his key again but it was to small for the lock.  
"Here let me try," said Casey bending down to the door knob, there was a clank as her necklace hit the door, she reached for it to move it out of the way but then she stopped. She hadn't even realized that she was wearing the key around her neck.  
She gently took it off and stuck the key in the keyhole, it was a perfect fit. "It fit," said Casey excitedly turning to Ricky.  
"What fit?" he asked .  
"The key, my key, I've worn it forever and I never knew what it went to but it fit!"  
"Let's open it shall we?" he slowly turned the knob, scooped her up into his arms and they walked through the door.  
Ricky was so surprised that he almost dropped Casey, this was not his apartment, there were white roses everywhere and the place was absolutely spotless, his couch was gone and replaced with a small table littered with food and drinks, his bed...well his bed had grown twice it's regular size and was decked out with silk sheets, this was not his apartment.  
Casey also couldn't believe what she saw as he put her down, her key had opened up the door to Ricky's apartment and here they stood in this paradise.  
She walked over to the table and picked up a small piece of paper, _ Casey,   
Congratulations   
Ed _   
Casey turned to Ricky and grabbed his hand, "I guess this is our wedding present from up above," she said smiling and kissing him. This day can't get any better, she thought happily.   
Ricky decided to just go with it, so he poured he and Casey some sparkling apple cider.  
"A toast, to us," he said lifting his glass.  
"To us," Casey said as their glasses clinked together.  
"Isn't this wonderful?" asked Casey kissing her _ husband _.  
"Yeah, it is," he said holding her close, he was never going to forget this, or her.  
"Dance with me," she said, and music started to play.  
Casey wrapped her arms around him and they danced, she reveled in the moment, the feel of his hands, his breath on her neck as he kissed her, the sound of his heart, she was aware of all of it and it seemed like time had stopped just for them.   
Ricky held her close, he never wanted to let her go, but he would, he had to. When she left it was going to be hard but she knew that he loved her, more than anything and that was something neither of them had been able to hold onto last time, just being with her, looking into her eyes, it was magical.   
"I love you Ricky," she whispered as the song ended.  
"I know," he said kissing her forehead, they were both aware of how little time they had left together, but Ricky was determined not to let it ruin the night. " Why don't we have something to eat?" he asked pulling her towards the table.  
"I'm not hungry," she said kissing him on the mouth.  
Ricky picked her up and carried her to the bed, he lay her down, never breaking the kiss, he buried his hands in her hair, her beautiful, long, silky hair, he could never forget how soft it was.  
He pulled away from her lips, "You are so beautiful," he whispered into her ear.  
Casey looked into his eyes and kissed him again, "Make love to me."  
Ricky kissed her neck as she sat up, he moved to her back and unzipped her dress, he gently pulled the dress away from her body, he kissed her slowly, his hands running over her smooth back. Casey fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, yearning to touch him, to become complete with him. She finally released him from his shirt, touching his chest, his skin. She had never felt so connected to anyone as they made love amidst the silken sheets. 

Ricky held her close as she lay against his chest, he could feel her breathe, he could feel the warm tears that rolled off of her cheek and down his chest.  
"I don't want to leave you ," she said softly, more tears falling, "I can't, I can't leave you."  
"You have to, Casey, no matter how much we want this to last forever it can't," he said feeling his own eyes well up, how could he let her go?  
Casey closed her eyes, she hadn't wanted to cry, to hurt so much but how could she not? Though there were no clocks or watches she knew that she didn't have much time left, she could feel it.  
She looked up at him and smiled through her tears. "I was so lucky to find you."  
Ricky tightened his arm around her and with his other hand he wiped away her tears, "I was the lucky one, to find an angel," he said leaning down and kissing her.  
Casey couldn't stop the onslaught of tears and she turned away, seconds she could feel it, in a moment she would be gone, she took a deep shaky breath and looked up at Ricky, she wanted his face to be the last thing she saw.   
"I love you, Casey," he said moving a strand of hair away from her face. It was time for her to leave, he knew it as much as she did.  
"Always remember me," she said calmly, and then she was gone.  
Ricky took a shaky breath, "I will, forever," he said softly.  
THE END. 


End file.
